Fire-alarm apparatus.



' v. ouasm.

FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1916- 1 1,9 1,745, Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1916.

Patwtfl Apr. 2, 1918.

4-SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. DURBIN.

FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1916.

136L745. Patented'Apr. 2, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

V. DURBIN.

FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

APPLlCATiON FILED JULY 21. 1916.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

1 iii 549/103 1 fl: Y+193 VERNON-DURBIN, OF BRGOKLINE, MASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, TO THE HOLTZER-CABOT ELECTRIC COIEPANY, OF ROXBURY, MASSAG .IUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF lMASSA- CHUSETTS.

FIRE-ALARM AFPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 191.8.

To all lP/LOl/b it may concern.

Be it known that l, Vnnxox Dnnnm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Illassachusetts have iurented certain new and useful lniproven ents in Fire- Alarm Apparatus; and l. do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to llltlli and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improvement in tire alarm apparatus of the type used in public institutions, such schools and hospitals.

these apparat" are commonly constructed. they coni rm three circuits, and means for operating them either conjunctivelv or separately. These apparatus are provided with connections with the fire alarm department of the city or town, with a local alarm and wi h a disari'angeinent signal in the basement of the building in which the anparr-itus are pla ed.

ln case or fire when the city or main alarm is sounded. the local alarm and also the :l "arraiurement signal are givein but in the case ot a test drill the alt) alarm is not given; onl the local alarn'i and the disariaugenient signal are given. The, object of the present invention is to improve the cout' ion, arrangement and operation of hear fire alarm apparatus of the above-de- (ribed type in order to produce a more sini H. and ellicienl structure than has horetorote be n prmluced: and to th" accomplish iuenli ot' this object the invention consists in 1 lire alarm apparatus hereinafter dere accompanying drawings illustratpreferred t'orm of the in vention, Figs a plan of the fire alarm apparatus ready for use; is a section through Fig. 1 showing terual construction; Fig. 3 is a plan le door and the cover protecting the =onveving mechanieiu removed; Fig. 1 section similar to ll 2 lookin from the opposite direction: Fig. 5 is a detail plan of the gearing: Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan showing the relation of certain parts of the apparatus when, in the case of lire,

the glass has been broken and the lever has been pulled; Fig. 7 is a plan similar to Fig. 5 showing the relation of the parts immediately after the release of the lever; Figs. 8, J and 10 are details showing respectireli the various positions occupied by the plungcrs when the door is open, when the door is closed and the glass is intact, and when the door is closed and the glass is broken. and Figs. 11 and 12 are side elevations oi the plungers.

The tire alarm apparatus shown in the drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention supported for convenient access in the various rooms of the building in which it may be installed, in an cute ring 12, the lower peripheral edge ll: of which bears against and held in place on the wall of the room in which the apparatu is located. The outer or upper part of the ring which projects into the room, is provided with a boss 15 to which is hinged a door 16 which may be locked against the ring bv means of a lock 17. The central part of the door is cut away, nd a panel of glass 18 i secured to the inner side of the door, covering the opening. The signal conveying mechanism of the apparatus is supported on a top plate 19 wiich rests on bosses 20 projecting inwardly from the inner circumference of the ring. and which is secured thereto by screws 21. This mechaaii',,i. is protected troni access, except bv those having a key to the lock 17. by means ot a cover 22 removably held in place on the plate 19 b v clamps 43. The parts of the mechanism located on the under side of the plate 19 are protected b v a second cover 2%. In case of tire, the glass panel 18 must be broken, the hammer 25 being provided to.- that purpose. Thereupon the city or town iartment alarm and the local alarm by pulling down or depressing the lever '26 and letting The lever 26 is; located between the top of the cover 22 and the door 16. When only the local alarm is to be sounded. or a test. trill. is to be given. the glass is left. intact and the door is peued: thereupon the lever is operated l u-iiore. with the result. however. that oul v the local alarm is sounded but not the city or town alarm. lVhether the glass is broken as in the case of a fire, or the door is opened, as in the case of a test drill, the disarrangement signal is operated and continues to operate until the mechanism of the apparatus is restored to its normal condi tion.

The mechanism by which the local alarm is sounded will be described in detail first; then the construction of tie devices which operate to permit the transmission of a signal to the fire department when the glass is broken and the lever is pulled, and which operate to prevent the transmission of the signal when the door is opened and the lever is depressed, will next be given; and, lastly, the construction of the means by which the disarrangement signal is given in each of the events mentioned and also when the glass is broken even though the lever is not pulled, Will be described. The novel features of construction and mode of operation of each of the mechanisms and devices will be pointed out in connection with their description. The mechanism for sounding the local alarm, both in the case of a fire and when test drills are given, comprises a signal disk 28 composed of insulating material provided with indentations 29 in its periphery. The local alarm bell or gong is in an electric circuit 30, (which is inoperative when closed) having terminal contacts 31 and 32 which are mounted on and insulated from the plate 19 by a support 33. The outer end 34 of the terminal 32 is bent toward the signal disk, and when the apparatus is in normal. condition, as shown in Fig. 3, it rests against the periphery of the disk and thereby keeps the circuit closed and inoperative; but when the lever has been depressed and released, the signal disk rotates and, thereupon, the depressions 29 move opposite the end 34, whereupon the terminal 32, being composed of resilient material, forces the end 34 into the depressions, thereby breaking the circuit and rendering it operative to sound the local alarm. The signal disk is mounted on the upper end of a shaft journaled in the top plate 19 and in a lower plate 37 held in fixed relation with the plate 19 by posts 38. Immediately below the plate 19 a pinion em 39 (see Figs. 2 and 5) is loosely mounted on the shaft 35. This pinion gear 39 meshes with a gear 40 mounted on a shaft 41 havingv upper and lower bearings in the plates 19 and 37 respectively. Mounted on the shaft 41, above the gear 40, is a pinion gear 42 which meshes with a segmental gear secured to a spring shaft 45 having upper and lower hearings in the plates 19 and 37 respectively. The upper end of the shaft 45 is elongated and extends beyond the plate 19 through a hole in the cover 22, and on it is pivoted sleeve 46, on the upper extremity of which is placed the lever 26. held thereon by a nut. One end of a spirally coiled spring 47 is secured to the shaft 45, and the other end of the spring is secured to one of the posts 38, as shown in Fig. 5. hen the lever 26 is depressed, the segmental gear 43 is swung down with it and the spring 47 is wound up. A ratchet contrivanee 48, operatively connected with the pinion gear 39, permits rotation of the latter without moving the signal disk when the segmental gear 43 is moved downwardly. When the lever 26 is released, the tension of the spring 47 causes the segmental gear to describe a return movement, and through it power is transmitted to the gears between it and the ratchet contrivance to move the latter in the opposite direction and thereby rotate the signal disk. The usual escapement arrangement is provided to secure uniformity inthe speed of rotation of the signal disk. The detent block 50 (Fi 2) of the escapement device is mounted on a pivot pin 51 journaled in the plates 19 and 37, and is adapted to engage the teeth of an escapement wheel 52 mounted on a shaft 53 also journaled in the plates. The moment of inertia of the escapement device is regulated by adjusting the screws 54 in the block 55 secured on the pivot pin 51. Mounted on the shaft 53 above the escapement wheel is a pinion 57 which meshes with a gear 58 secured to the shaft 35. The pawl of the ratchet contrivance 48 is pivoted on the gear 58. The arrangement and mode of operation of the parts just described are as usual.

The rotation of the signal disk 28, and consequently the sounding of the local alarm, is prevented until the lever 26 is returned to its normal raised position. The means for preventing these operations comprises a disk 60 secured to the shaft 35 between the signal disk and the top plate 19. The disk 60 is provided at its periphery with an out- .vardly projecting stop lug 61 (Figs. 3 and 7). When the parts of the apparatus are in normal condition, the stop lug 61 engages the end 62 of a detent pawl 63 pivoted on the top plate 19 at 64. The detent pawl 63 is normally held against the stop lug 61 by a pin 65'rising from the segmental gear 43. For this purpose the pin 65 presses against a cam surface 66 on the detent pawl. When the lever is depressed to wincT up the spring 47 previous to giving the signals, a segment piece 68 secured to the lower end of the sleeve 46 is forced against the pin 65, thereby moving it and the segmental gear downwardly until the pin is stopped by the lower extremity of an arcuate slot 69, in which the pin travels. At the time that the segment 68 forces the pin 65 out of engagement with the cam surface 66, an upturned flange 70 on the periphery of the segment 68 passes in front of a secondary pawl 71, also pivoted on the pin 64. The pawl 71 is arranged to move synchronously with the detent pawl 63, and for this purpose a spring 72 holds the pawl 71 against a lug '73 rising from the detent pawl. As the flanged edge ot' the segment piece 08 passes along the arcuate surface of the pawl 71, it thereby holds the pawl 71 against the lug 73 and the detent pawl in engagement with the stop lug (31; so that, although the signal disk is under tension, by reason at the winding up of the spring 1-7, it is prevented from rota tion until the lever is released and the segment piece returns with it. A spring 78 returns the love and segment piece to normal position. When the segment returns, it leaves the pin at the lower end of the slot (39; and when the flange 70 passes beyond the arcuate surface '75 of the pawl 71, a spring 70, secured to the top plate 19 and to an arm 77 the detent pawl 63, acts to disengage the end 02 of the detent pawl 63 from the stop lug 61, as shmvn in Fig. 7. 'lhereupou the signal dish begins its rotation and the local alarm is given. As the signal disk rotates and the spring at? unwinds. the segmental gear -l-3 returns to normal position and the pin 65 travels upwardly in the slot 69 until it reaches the cam surface 66 of the detent pawl, whereupon, the end 62 oi? the latter is forced into the path of the stop lug 61 and the signal dish is stopped at a given point in it's rotation. ll liile the local alarm 1S sounding, a

econd alarm cannot. be rung in, because a tooth 9 ct the pawl 71 is then in the path oi the flanged edge of the segmentpiece 68, as shown in Fig. 7.

The city or town lire department circuit or main alnrz z circuit, indicated at 80, is provided with contact terminals 81 and 82 which are normally held apart. The terminal 81 is normally held disengaged from the terminal 82 by a lug S3, composed of insulating material, secured to the out-er end of one side of alower sector 81 pivoted on a pin 85 secured to and rising from the plate 19. Pivoted on the outer end of the other side of the sector 8% is a roll 87. his roll is engaged by the '70 when the latter is in normal posi' tion, and the terminal 81, which is resilient, is thereby held away trom the terminal 82, toward which the former tends to move. When the door is opened and the lever 26 is pulled down, which is the situation when a test drill is given, the terminal 81 is prevented from contacting with the terminal 82; but when the door is shut and the glass 18 is broken, and the lever 26 is pulled down, as would he the situation in case of a fire, the terminal 81 is ierinitted to contact with the terminal 82, thereby closing the circuit 0 and sounding the alarm at the central station of the tire department. The means for preventing the closing of the circuit 80, until the requisite times, consists of a locking device which comprises two springpressed wards or plungers 89 and 90 slidingly received in vertical slots in a block 91 passed through and seated on the plate 19. The upper portion of the block 91 projects above the plate 19, and the lower portion extends below the plate. The block 91 is held in position by a stay 92 secured to the block and to the lower plate 37. The upper portions of the plungcrs are flat and the lower portions are formed as cylindrical heads 93 which move in bored holes in the lower part of the block 91. Compression springs 95% and 95 tend to press the plungers upwardly. The upward movement of the plungers is hunted by the engagement of the cylindrical heads with the tops of the bored holes, as shown in Fig. 8. When the door 16 is closed the plungers are forced downwardly into their respective slots, as shown in Fig. 9, by a key 90 pivoted to a boss 97 depending from the inner side of the door. By retcrence to Figs. 1 and it is seen that when the glass panel is intact and the door is shut, a tongue 98 formed on the lower end of the key 96 is placed transversely across the tops of the plungers 89 and 90 and holds them in their lowermost position. hen the door is closed and the glass is intact of course the lever 26 is inaccessible. and so the positions or the plungers under this condition may he termed their normal or inoprative positions. When the door is opened, the springs 94 and 95 act to raise the plungers to the limit 01 their upward movement, and when they are thus raised, the plungers operate to prevent the closing of the main alarm circuit and therefore the signaling of the fire department upon the depress on of he lever The arcuate edge 100 of the sector 84; is provided with two notches which, until the lever 26 is depressed and also when the lever is depressed while the door is open, are in alinen'ient with the two plungers 89 and 90. This arcuate edge 100 of the sector 84 travels in and is guided by a slot 101 formed in the inner face 01. the upper portion of the block 91. The inner edges of the plunger-s 89 and 90, these inner edges being those nearest the arcuate surface 100 of the sector 8t, are provided, respectively, with notches 102 and 103. These notches 102 and 103 are adapted to be in alinement with the slot 101 when the tire department is to be signaled. At all other times the notches 102 and 103 are not in alinement with the slot 101, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that the arcuate edge 100 of the sector 8 1 engages the inner edges of the plunger-s 89 and 90. Consequently, when upon the depression of the lever 26 the segment piece 68 moves out ot engagement with the roll 87, the terminal 81 is prevented from moving into contact with the terminal 82. hen, in the case of fire, the glass 18 broken, a spring 105 connected at one end with the door 16 and at the other end with a pin secured to the key 96, acts to turn the key on its pivot until the elongated arm 106 of the key engages the inner cage of the door. The tongue 98 has now been turned into longitudinal alinenient with the two plungers 89 and 90, and the springs 94 and 95 act to force the plungers upwardly until the plunger 89 contacts with the shoulder 108, and the plunger 90 contacts with the shoulder 109 formed on the key. When the plungers are in these positions, it will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 10 that the notches 102 and 108 are in alinement with the slot 101, and that, therefore, the sector 84 may move freely in the slot, so that when the lever is depressed and the segment 68 passes beyond the roll 87, the terminal 81 may move toward and contact with the terminal 82, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby conveying the requisite signal to the fire department.

A locking sector 111 is pivoted on the pin 85 above the sector 8 1, being separated therefrom by a collar 112 (Figs. 2 and 1). The arcuate edge of this locking sector 111 is adapted to swing in the tranverse slot 113 cut in the front face of the block 91 above the slot 101, and is provided with two notches which when the segment 68 is in normal position permits vertical movement of the plungers. A roll 115 carried by the sector 111 is normally held against the flange of the segment 68 by a spring 116. While the lever 26 remains in normal raised position and the roll 87 of the sector 8 1, and theroll 115 of the sector 111 are held against the flange 70, the door may be shut, the plungers being freely depressed by the key 96, At this time the notches in the arcuate edges of both sectors are in alinement with the plungers. W hen the door is open, and the lever 26 has been pulled down, but not released, the spring 116 acts to swing the sector 111, moving it so that the notches in its arcuate edge pass out of alinement with the plunger-s. The latter may not, therefore, be manipulated at this time so as to cause an accidental closing of the city circuit 80. The relation of the notches in the front edges of the plunger-s with respect to the slots in the front face of the block 91, when the door .is open, is shown in Fig. 8. It will be observed that the notch 102 in the plunger 89, and the notch 118 in the plunger 90 register with the slot 113. This permits free movement of the locking sector 111 when the segment 68, upon the depression of the lever, has passed beyond the roll 115; the front edges of the plungers, however, being interposed across the slot 101 to prevent movement of the sector 84. Accidental closing of the main alarm circuit when the door is open, and only the local alarm is to be sounded, is prevented by having the arcuate edge of the sector 84 of greater radius than the arcuate edge of the sector 111, and in making the notches in the front edges of the plungers of such depth that it is only when the notch 102 in the plunger 89, and the notch 103 in the plunger 90 are in alinement with the slot 101 that the sector 84 can be moved to permit the terminal 81 to close upon the terminal 82 of the main alarm circuit 80. The notches 102 and 103 are only in alinement with the slot 101 when the plungers are held in the relation, and depressed to the extent, shown in Fig. 10. The shoulders 108 and 109 of the key 96 secure this relationship when the door is closed and the glass is broken. It is thus seen that it is practically impossible for any one unfamiliar with the construction of the apparatus to manipulate the plungers so as to operate the main circuit. It is obvious, of course, that the relationship of the deep notches in the plungers may be changed, and the relationship of the shoulders 108 and 109 of the key 96 correspondingly changed so as to provide for diflerent combinations.

The disarrangement circuit 117 when in inoperative condition is a closed circuit and connects with a signal bell in the basement or other part of the building where the janitor holds forth. lVhen the door is opened, and also when the glass is broken, the disarrangement circuit 117 is broken, and there by placed in operative condition. The circuit 117 is provided with an upper terminal 119 and a lower terminal 120. When the circuit 117 is in inoperative condition, the terminal 120 is held in contact With the terminal 119 by a plunger 122 of insulating material loosely received in a bushing 123 passed through a hole in the plate 19. The plunger 122 is forced against the terminal 120 by a lever 124E pivoted to a support 125 depending from the plate 19. The lever end which engages the plunger 122 slides vertically in a slot 1 6 formed in the depending portion of the bushing 128. The other end 127 of the lever 124 engages a shoulder 128 formed at the junction of the head 98 with the upper portion of the plunger 89. When the parts of the fire alarm apparatus are in normal position and the door is closed, so that-the key 96 holds the plunger 89 depressed, the end 127 of the lever 124i is held depressed, while the other end is held up against the plunger 122, the terminal 120 being thereby held in contact with the terminal 119; but when the door is open, the spring 9% forces the plunger 89 upwardly, thereby permitting the terminal 120, which is resilent, to force the corresponding end of the lever 124 down, thereby breaking the contact between the terminals. So too, when the glass is broken and the key 96 is turned so as to permit the plunger 89 to rise into engagement with the shoulder 108 of the key, the distance between the bottom edge of the tongue 98 and the shoulder 108 is such that the lever 124 moves a sutficient distance to permit the disconnection between the terminals 119 and 120. It is thus seen that, when the glass is broken, whether or not the lever is manipulated, or when the glass is left intact and the door is opened in order to sound the local. alarm only, the disarrangement circuit is broken and thereby placed in operative condition to notify the janitor or other oflicer in charge of the apparatus that it is out of normal condition. The disarrangement circuit continues to be in operation until the parts of the apparatus are restored to their normal condition.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1.. A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits including a lever having a segment attached thereto, meanS controlled by the segment for holding the main alarm circuit inoperative while the lever is raised, a casing for containing the circuit operating means, a cover thereon, a glass panel in the cover, a key operatively connected with the glass panel, and means controlled by the key for preventing the operation of the main alarm circuit when the lever is operated.

2. A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits including a lever, a casing for inclosing the circuit operating means, a cover therefor, a glass panel in the cover, and means operatively connected with the glass panel for permitting the operation of both circuits when the lever is operated.

3. A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits, a casing for inclosing the circuit operating means, a door thereon having a glass panel, and means for rendering the main alarm circuit inoperative when the door is open and also when it is shut and the glass panel is unbroken, and for permitting the operation of the main alarm circuit when the door is shut and the glass panel is broken.

4. A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, a casing, a door hinged thereto having a glass panel, means operatively con-- nected with the glass panel for permitting the sounding of both alarms when the glass panel is broken, and means for preventing the sounding of the main alarm and permitting the sounding of the local alarm when the door is opened.

A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits, a casing for inclosing the circuit operating bination a casin a coor hin ed thereto a local alarm circuit, means for operating the local circuit including a lever, a main alarm circuit normally inoperative, and means disconnected from the door when the latter is open for keeping the maincircuit inope 'ative when the lever is manipulated to operate the local circuit and the door is open.

7. A fire alarm apparatus, having, in combination, a casing, a door hinged thereto having a glass panel, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the local circuit including a lever, a main alarm circuit operative upon the manipulation of the lever when the door is closed, and means rendered operative by the breaking of the glass panel when the door is closed for permitting the operation of the main alarm circuit, said means operating when the door is opened to prevent the operation of the main circuit.

8. A fire alarm apparatus having, in combination, casing, a door hinged thereto having a glass panel, a local alarm circuit, a main alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits including a lever, means for holding the main alarm circuit inoperative when the door is shut and the glass panel is unbroken and also when the door is open, and means connected with the door operating to position the first named means to permit the operation of the main alarm circuit upon the manipulation of the lever when the door is shutand the glass panel is broken.

9. A fire alarm apparatus, having, in combination, a casing, a door hinged thereto having a glass panel, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the local circuit including a lever, a main alarm circuit, a sector operatively connected with the lever for normally keeping the main circuit inoperative, and means disconnected from the door when the latter is open for preventing the movement of the sector rendering the main circuit operative when the door is opened and the lever is manipulated.

10. A fire alarm apparatus, having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits including a lever, a casing for inclosin the circuit operating means, a door hinged on the casing having a glass panel, a sector operatively connected with the lever for holding the main circuit inoperative, plungers for preventing the movement 01 the sector when the door is opened, and means operatively connected with the glass panel and controlled by the breaking thereof for positioning the plungers to allow the sector to move when the door is closed and the lever is manipulated to permit the operation of the main circuit.

11. A. fire alarm amoaratus, having, in combination, a main alarm circuit and a local alarm circuit normally inoperative, means for operating the circuits, a casing for inclosing the circuit operating means, a door hinged to the casing provided with a glass panel, and means operatively connected with the glass panel for permitting the operation of the local circuit while preventing the operation of the main circuit when the door is opened, said means permitting the operation of both circuits when the door is closed and the glass panel broken.

12. A fire alarm apparatus, having, in combination, a main alarm circuit, a local alarm circuit, means for operating the circuits including a lover, a sector operatively connected with the lever for holding the main circuit normally inoperative, a casing. for inolosing the circuit operating means, a door hinged thereto having a glass panel, a key pivoted to the door having a tongue, and plungers held in one position when the door is closed and the glass is intact to prevent the operation of the main circuit and in another position when the door is closed and the glass is broken to allow the sector to move when the lever is manipulated to permit the main circuit to be operated.

VERNON DURBIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C." 

